Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has ordered the suspension of the recent recruitment exercise by the state’s Local Government Service Commission after allegations of corruption and abuse of office were discovered.
A statement signed by Mr Linus Obogo, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, on Thursday, said the suspension follows findings of widespread employment racketeering in the commission’s recruitment process.
Governor Otu also accepted the resignation of the commission’s chairman, Mr Darlington Eyo, who was reportedly involved in the irregularities.
Speaking on the matter, the governor said, “I have set up a special review committee to investigate the recruitment scandal and identify all individuals responsible for the malpractice. The committee is expected to recommend appropriate disciplinary and corrective actions in line with the administration’s zero tolerance for corruption.”
Otu added, “No act of impunity or abuse of office will be tolerated under my leadership. Transparency, accountability, and integrity remain the guiding principles of my ‘People-First’ governance philosophy. Future recruitment exercises will be strictly based on merit and competence.”
The governor directed that a new recruitment process, fair and transparent, be carried out to restore credibility to the local government system.
The review committee is expected to submit recommendations on corrective measures and disciplinary actions against those found culpable in the recruitment irregularities.
